Laugh-Cry Like You Mean It

I have a cousin who I love dearly but has a couple of funny habits that I like to tease her about. One is that when she’s tired she literally can’t keep her eye open. Yep, I said EYE. Only ONE shuts down. The other stays half way open just enough to look creepy, and to keep an eye on the fun so she doesn’t miss anything. Hilarious! But not the habit of hers that I am thinking about tonight.

She also has this awesome trait we call the Laugh-Cry. She can simultaneously laugh AND cry. We’re usually not quite sure which direction she is leaning…more crying than laughing? heading toward a good giggle? She has taught me the Laugh-Cry is its own emotion altogether.

At one point or another we all use the expression, “I can’t decide if I’m going to laugh or cry!” Ok, maybe some of you tough guys out there won’t admit it but most of us come to that fed-up, tired, end-of-my rope kind of place where emotion meets frustration and when that collides with ridiculous it all starts to seem kind of funny. That’s the Laugh-Cry.

Before Christmas I was asked to present on, “How to Survive The Holidays With Your Spouse”. There’s a touch of irony involved in this request as I find navigating the holidays with my dear sweet husband still a little tricky even after our 14th time around! Mixing money with splitting time with everyone you love and schlepping kids over the river and through the woods, does that to a couple. It ended being a great presentation for me to work on because I was the perfect test subject. If I could do this, anyone could. We did pretty well, but I’m going to admit I found myself in a couple of Laugh-Cry moments in the last few weeks. The first one happened when NO ONE showed up to the presentation they asked me to come do at the Meijer Library Branch. They forgot to let anyone know apparently. I texted pictures of the empty seats to my husband. He helped me laugh it off so I didn’t cry out of embarassment hauling my stuff back out of the library with my tail between my legs. A couple of other times during Christmas vacation he got me leaning a little more toward the cry but he’s so stinkin’ funny I was somehow pulled back to laughing.

Here’s the next little bit of irony I see coming my way– I see on my calendar next week I’m scheduled to present “Marriage AND Parenting” at the Parma Branch Library. Now, I’m coming off a Christmas vacation with my sweet, precious, adorable, sometimes naughty, and a tiny bit frustrating, little ELVES, I call my children. I love them. Also, I Laugh-Cry at them. They push my buttons like no other but they also are cuter and funnier than anything else I know. So, we Laugh-Cried through the last few weeks of lessons about the real meaning of Christmas, using manners, helping around the house, NOT using the word bored, and NOT shutting your sister’s head in the door. (Really?! Should I HAVE to point this out?!)

All this to say, sometimes I feel like I’m the LAST person who should be leading a discussion on these topics but as I thought about it, wouldn’t most of us rather talk about these things with someone who can relate and commiserate? I don’t have all the answers but I’ve got a desire to keep trying to get it right with my marriage and parenting. If you want to Laugh-Cry or just one of the above, we’re going to be keeping it real at the Parma Branch Library next Wednesday, January 12th from 5:30-6:30. Don’t leave me hanging, sitting there Laugh-Crying all alone.

4 thoughts on “Laugh-Cry Like You Mean It”

I had recently hurt my back and spent a lot of time lying around (it hurt to get up and move). My hair was in need of a shampoo, so I thought it would be a great idea for my husband to wash my hair over the bath tub instead of standing in the shower and having the water pound into my back (what was I thinking…).
Men don’t know how to wash long hair. My husband POURED shampoo onto my head and some how got more knots in my hair than Medusa has in hers. I was laughing so hard, but it hurt to laugh, so I was on the verge of crying, but I didn’t want my husband to think he was hurting me, so I kept on laughing. I just kept repeating “Just rinse it. Just rinse it.” He wanted to get it completely done so he wouldn’t have to do it again, so he then tried to ‘lather up’ the conditioner. It was one of the most painful, funniest experiences of my life. Gotta love the Laugh-Cry.

Shelby, I don’t know you, but I’ve been to a few events where you have spoken and I’ve been very impressed! You’re awesome! I really admire what you do and the whole mission of MMJ. It’s so needed today. Don’t take it personally that no one showed up once. It certainly couldn’t have been because of you!
Thanks for all your hard work!

Great Story! I too am familiar with that emotion! I just never had a name for it, and now I do. 🙂 You are doing a great job. I too have those moments I look at myself with my kids and I say to my sift, “I teach a parenting class, REALLY?” But it’s is true. I loved hearing of your own personal struggles, knowing that you are not wonder woman, you are just as human as the rest of us. And you are sharing your experiences to help others. I will see if I can make it Wednesday. I love to hear you speak!